Contents
5 From Me to You
6 Making the Space:
Room Decor
New Construction:
Four of the latest
apartment complexes

{
On the Cover
4 Living in Style:
Inside and Out,
from your room to
your attitude

9 Luxx
10 Tetro
13 Tobin Lofts
14 Prado

16 How to get
organized: Lists!
19 UTSA Spotlight:
Life Page by Page

20 A Deoleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; time at Deol Bar

23 Last Call: The Sazerac Cocktail recipe

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Words: Jade Cuevas
Photo: Marcus Connolly

W

hen we think of “living in
style” we should consider all
aspects of our lives: inside and out.
From the decor we keep in our room
to the thoughts we have, everything
contributes.
The most obvious association with
style is fashion, but it should also include how we go about our daily lives.
From its defintion, style can be a manner of doing something or a distinctive appearance. Therefore, style includes maintaining a cheerful attitude
while living in a unique apartment or
radiating confidence while staying organized.
Style can encompass our day-to-day
lives and impact our individual per4

Living in

style

sonalities. The cliché college experience involves “finding ourselves,” so
let’s do just that: Let’s find our personal style and be confident in it.
So how do we achieve this so-called
“stylish” life?

We’ll start with the emotional roller
coaster that is college life continue to
tips on interior decorating and end
with an overview of the newest apartments around UTSA and advice on
how to stay organized.

Style: (noun) a manner of doing something, a
distinctive appearance; (verb) to design or make
in a particular form, to designate with a
particular name, description or title.
In this issue, we address this exact
From us to you, we give you this colquestion. We don’t have all the an- lege living guide — brief but effective.
swers, but we can help give you a head
start.

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p
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n
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A

From me
to you

ccording to a 2008 Associated Press and mtvU survey, 34 percent
of college students have felt depressed
at some point during a three-month
span. Thirteen percent have been diagnosed with a mental health condition like depression or anxiety.
I can’t say I’ve been diagnosed with
either, but that doesn’t mean I’m not
part of that 34 percent that have felt
depressed in the past three months.
When I first went to college, I had to
transition from a large circle of supportive friends to an extremely shortened list. Luckily, I was still close with
my mother and a friend from high
school, but their contact wasn’t daily
and was normally facilitated over the
phone. My roommate situation wasn’t
the best, and after breaking up with
my boyfriend in my first semester I
would go days without face-to-face
communication.
It was a battle every day to come to
terms with the way things were away
from my former high school self. I was
too far away from home to visit on the
weekends and my closest high school
friend seemed to always be busy. It
ultimately pushed me into poor relationships and led me to transfer universities.
A lot has happened between then and
now. I’ve transferred back to UTSA
and now retain stronger, more positive relationships and have the confi-

You’re

NOT
alone.

dence to stand on my own — the latter
being the most important to me.
It wasn’t until I was with a friend the
other day who joked about going to
the movie theater alone that something began tugging at me. Later, another friend said she ate at a restaurant
alone for the first time. The negative
connotations surrounding their statements brought up what had been bugging me — I had done all those things
my freshmen year of college.
I went to a restaurant alone because I
wanted to avoid my empty apartment.
I went to see a movie on a Friday night
when I had no one to go with me. I’ve
been grocery shopping, working out,
window shopping, eating out… alone.
I want to clue you in to what I didn’t
know then and know now: Being
alone is not a bad thing.
Society has idealized reality, and
when we find that reality is doing
things on our own — most of the time
alone ­— it seems like a harsh world to
live in.
Social media and reality TV tend to
portray a reality of friendship, fun and
adventure. Sitting alone in my room
seemed arbitrary compared to what
my friends from high school appeared
to be doing: partying, camping, studying — all surrounded by friends. And
reality TV showing celebrities on
elaborate vacations and friends rooming together in a mansion didn’t help.

Living in style

Words: Erin Boren

Now in my senior year, I can spend
a day at home relaxing alone without
feeling anxious or lonely. I can browse
Facebook and feel okay that I wasn’t
invited to that vacation over the break.
And more importantly, I don’t feel
lame going to places alone.
When I became comfortable with my
life and stopped comparing it to what
I thought it should be I found myself
happier, more carefree and more focused on the positive things in life.
It isn’t easy, but have confidence in
yourself and don’t rely on other people or things to make your day a good
one.
I still have bad days, when I feel
down, complain a lot or am just being stubborn wishing for things I can’t
have. They happen less often as time
goes on, and the loneliness I felt freshman year has transitioned from a bad
memory to one of empowerment.
It’s a good feeling — being able to
knock down the negative stereotypes
surrounded by being a “loner.” When
my friend brought up going to the
movies alone, I simply implied that
nothing is wrong with that. Moments
later another one of our friends admitted to having done so the following weekend. That made me smile.
See, even in doing things alone,
you’re not alone. Remember that.

“Nearly half of all college students report feeling so depressed at
some point in time that they have trouble functioning.”
— American Psychiatric Association
For information on handling anxiety and depression, visit the
UTSA Counseling Services website at www.utsa.edu/counsel.

Living in style

Words: Jade Cuevas
Photos: Rafael Gutierrez

Making the Space
1

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be afraid to get artsy: Find a
cool piece of artwork you admire or
are really inspired by and put it on display. Anywhere from your basic craft store
or home goods store to a local flea market, you
can find awesome artwork wherever you go.

Women
MEN
BOTH

3

1
7
2
8
5

Be functional: Use what
you have and make it a
part of the room. If you
have a skateboard, sports
equipment, video game consoles,
ect., arrange it in a way people see
it and know itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a part of the room.

6

6

Hang up your hats: A way
to organize your hats while
decorating that dead space on
your wall is to hang them up for
display. This is an easy way to show
them off while still being functional
(and keep them from becoming misshapen).

7

String up lights: These simple and affordable lights can
create a comfy warm glow to
take the place of the bright and
not-so flattering lighting that may
originally come with your dorm or
apartment. They are easy to drape
or hang up with tacks or removable hooks, making them a portable
piece of decor.

Focal points: If you’re not up
for finding a bunch of little
decorations to make up your
room decor, find one decoration
you really like and let it speak for the
entire space. It could be giant letters
of your initials, a collage of personal
photographs or an interesting piece of
furniture — let the object do all the
decorating for you.

3

4

Posters, posters, posters: It’s
the easiest and most traditional way to show off your
favorite sports teams, musicians,
movies, places and school spirit. The
key, however, is not overwhelming
the room with them. Keep things
simple with only your favorite posters here and there.

6
4
5
9
Show off your books: Don’t let
your books just randomly accumulate in one spot for the entire
semester. Instead, designate a shelf
or a space on your desk for your books
to stay while you’re not using them.
Keep them up with bookends, which are
easy to find and come in various designs.

8

Technology central: The amount of technology we have in our lives is undeniable. So why shouldn’t it be a part of your
room decor too? Most TVs, computers, cell
phones, headphones and sound speakers come in
polished and shiny designs that go with any room
decor. So make them visible in your space and
don’t allow them to be hidden or buried in a miscellaneous objects pile.

9

7

Living in style
Words: Kristen Carreon

New construction: 1/4

Opening

i t s
doors in August 2014, the Luxx will be
located on UTSA Boulevard, adjacent
to Utex Boulevard, and just a short
walk from the shuttle stop at Hill
Country Place apartments. The Luxx
will feature a “Vegas-style pool” with
a swim-up bar, an advanced cyber
lounge and modern-style apartments.
Options vary with four different
floor plans to choose from. Each option comes with individual bathrooms
for every resident. The four-bedroom
option starts at $575 a month and rises with a change in floor plans or addon options.
Over 700 parking spaces are available, with no property parking charge.
Enough spaces are available for residents and guests. There is also an option of covered or reserved parking at
a rent premium.
Private study rooms and a conference room with multimedia-presentation capabilities are provided for students’ convenience. The Luxx will also
have a cyber lounge with a computer
zone that includes both PC and Mac
workstations, available 24/7.
The Luxx will also host a 2,500
square-foot, two-story fitness center,
with four separate sections and two
stand-up tanning beds, which is free to
all residents. It’ll include free weights,

heavy weight machines, treadmills, ellipticals and a spin room that includes
a flat screen TV and a DVD player for
yoga, P90X, Insanity and other workout programs.
Reclining chairs and colorful umbrellas for shade will surround the
resort-style pool, which has its own
swim-up bar. The area will even feature
a 30-person hot
tub, and
outside

game similar to bowling), a disc golf
course and immediate access to the
Leon Creek Greenway. All materials for the courts will be provided via
checkout at the front desk. The courts
and pool area will be open year-round
as weather permits.
The Luxx allows pets with a 35
-pound weight limit and maintains a
pet policy requiring $300 upfront (a
$150 fee and a $150 refundable deposit).
The Luxx will have numerous opportunities for socializing, with adjoining facilities like
the fitness center
and a cafe, as well as
events designed to foster a sense of
community in the complex. With a
move-in date of Aug. 15, a weeklong grand opening will facilitate welcoming events for new
residents.
“The Luxx is perfect for students who want the best available and is ideal for students
who are focused and careerminded... but still like to have a
little fun when the time is right,”
grills and fire pits.
says Marketing Director Laura Lopez.
For more leisure activities, the recFor more information, visit the Luxx
reation areas will include sand vol- leasing center (6023 UTSA Blvd.) or
leyball courts, bocce ball pits (a ball liveluxx.com.

uxx

Pros: Amenities
& Parking

9

Living in style
Words: Brittney Lopez & Corinne Mason

New construction: 2/4

Located

at
1604 and Babcock Road, Tetro Student Village is a new student living
apartment complex opening fall 2014
to students at UTSA.
Tetro has already begun their leasing process, and students had the
opportunity to attend Tetro’s grand
opening party at España Bar de
Tapas in February. The celebration featured free drinks, food
and prizes for all attendees.
Tetro will include 198 units
and housing for 590 of UTSA’s
students. Leasing and Marketing Manager Kelsey Ring says,
“We have 124 students already
signed that we can’t wait to welcome
home in the fall.”
Located just under a half of a mile
from campus, the complex is set up
around a Town Center.
The project boasts 16 acres, complete with a variety of townhomes
and flats accomadating two-, threeand four-bedroom units. Tetro also
provides convienent parking options:
townhomes feature two-car garages
and the property aims to provide
plenty of visitors’ parking.
Although campus is just a short
walk away, Tetro is looking into shut-

tle options to conveniently transport
students to and from campus.
Floor plans range from two-bed/
two-bath flats for $664, three-bed/
three-bath flats for $635 and four-bed/
four-bath townhomes for $640. Rent
includes a fully furnished apartment,
access to all amenities, parking and

in closets.
Tetro accepts non-aggressive pet
breeds with a $400 pet fee (of which
$200 is refundable) and an open field
Bark Park.
“Our Town Center offers study
rooms to take advantage of late night
studying; a Sports Lounge area to
watch TV on our big screens; a coffee bar complete with Starbucks
coffee; an arcade with both throwback arcade games for the ‘90s children in us and a poker table for the
more seasoned residents,” says Ring.
“(There’s also) a bar area to hang out
with friends and innovative garage
doors to lead you out to our Town
Square.”
The Town
Square is fully equipped
with barbecue
grills,
a resort-style pool, sand volleyball
court, soccer field and hangout areas
around the fire pit.
For more information, visit the Tetro leasing center (15502 Babcock Rd.)
or tetrostudentvillage.com.

etro
most utilities, such as cable, Internet,
trash pick up, pest control and a $10
water cap per person as well as walk-

Pros: Pet Friendly
& Recreation
10

Living in style
Words: Luis Rodriguez

New construction: 3/4

For

UTSA students
who commute to the downtown campus, Tobin Lofts is an option worth
considering. Commuting to the 1604
campus coud take 20 minutes, but Tobin Lofts’ location at the intersection
of North Main Avenue and Evergreen
Street is only five minutes from downtown San Antonio.
Tobin Lofts include electricity, water, trash pick up,
cable and Internet in
the all-inclusive rates.
A washer and dryer
will also be included
in every apartment at
no extra cost.
Phase one is exclusively for students in
the San Antonio area, and apartments come completely furnished.
Phase two is unfurnished and
geared toward professionals; however, students may also choose this
option of an unfurnished apartment
if they prefer.
Tobin Lofts has four different floor plans to choose
from: the four-bed/two-bath
floor plan for $525 a month;
the two-bed/two-bath floor plan
for $750; and the one-bed/one-bath
floor plan for $975.

Available amenities, such as a 24hour gym and a business center, are
also additions included on the property.
Leasing Manager Rico Aviles describes Tobin Lofts as a place where
everything is only minutes away. “If
you are looking for hotspots downtown, you will now have a large variety
of places to go. There is always some-

minutes from the Pearl Brewery and
the River Walk.
As for the safety of the student housing, Tobin Lofts is a completely gated
community and is accessible only
with an access card. Also, between 8
p.m. and 5 a.m., a security guard patrols the property.
The only noticeable problem is that
parking costs $200 for non-Alamo
College students and permits expire
yearly in August.
One can hope the the price will be
adjusted for UTSA students as well.
Paying for on-campus student parking and housing parking would entail
a UTSA student paying more than
$450 for parking annually.
Overall, Tobin Lofts is a
modern student housing
option,
selfpromoted by
San Antonio’s
nightlife and
e nt e r t a i n i n g
attractions,
which are only
thing going minutes away.
on.”
For more information, visit the ToLocated across the street from lo- bin Lofts leasing center (1426 N Main
cal nightlife, Tobin Lofts is also a few Ave.) or livetobinlofts.com.

obin
Lofts

Pros: Downtown
& Security
13

Living in style
Words: Tania Khan

New construction: 4/4

Located

at
UTSA Boulevard and Roadrunner
Way, the Prado Student Living complex will be ready for students fall
2014. Leasing has already begun, and
Prado’s amenities and features have
people buzzing on social media.
Prado’s main feature is student living, but unlike other complexes
around UTSA, it
will offer a
commodity not featured in many other
apartments: retail
space.
The Prado building
will include retail space
on the first floor — a
design layout used in
urban locations such as
The Pearl downtown.
Along with easy access to
shops, Prado is hoping
to set up a food delivery
service with The Block
for tenants.
Keeping with the boutique-hotel theme,
Prado offers premium features and
services, such as a
modern fitness center (where there

will be a studio for Yoga, Pilates and
Zumba classes), a digital gaming center, study lounges, a cyber cafe with a
coffee bar and a swimming pool.
A resident courtyard within the
complex and a gated five-story parking garage help distinguish Prado
from other complexes in the area.
Floor plans range from studio apartments starting at
$965 a month,
one-bedrooms at
$985,
t w o b e d rooms
between
$ 6 8 0
and $790,
three-bed-

and includes the cost of cable, Internet, apartment furnishings and a $50
monthly electricity bill. Amenities include walk-in closets, patio balconies,
50’’ flat-screen TVs and oversized
soaking tubs.
This luxury comes at a price. Unlike
other complexes that lease from $400$800 depending on room and space,
Prado’s prices are a bit steeper for the
average college student. Additionally,
there is an added cost for parking at
$35 per month. Total cost is most likely $700 per month or more.
However, including most utilities in
the rent is a plus, and its close proximity to UTSA’s main campus is great for
students looking to cut costs on gas
and parking permits by walking, biking or using the shuttle service.
If anyone is looking to experience
a luxurious style of living during
college, Prado would be a good fit.
Its numerous features and amenities along with its impressive urban design is attractive but also
expensive.
rooms at $750, four-bedFor more information, visit Prado’s
rooms between $695 and leasing center located on the Drag or
$700 and five-bedrooms pradostudentliving.com.
at $685. Every lease is individual

For those of you trying to balance rigorous classes, a job, a demanding internship, outside obligations,
all the while trying to maintain a social life, life can seem like an overwhelming mess. Even the most
complex formula can’t figure that one out for you. Luckily, there is something that you can use to
instantly organize even the busiest of schedules — lists. Believe it or not, making lists has a lot more
benefits than just to keep you on track. So next time a problem needs to be solved, avoid the calculator
or complex equations and whip out a pen and paper to begin making that list ­— unless it’s for Calculus.
Good luck with that one.
Words: Brittney Lopez

LOWER STRESS AND
ANXIETY LEVELS

BENEFIT
YOUR BRAIN

According to Cynthia R. Green,
Ph.D., a nationally recognized clinical
psychologist and brain health/memory
fitness expert, list-making is actually
beneficial to your brain. Lists alert the
brain, which allows you to pay attention
to things that need remembering.
“Using lists, just like using any technique
to boost your brainpower, will focus
your attention more actively on the
information you need to remember.
Why? When we work with information,
we pay closer attention to it.” Information
comes in many forms nowadays, and
sometimes it may be hard to keep up
with all of it coming at you from many
different directions. List-making can
aid you when you’re suffering from
information overload.

16

There has most likely been a time
when it seemed impossible to complete
all the things you needed to get done.
At this point there is no motivation to
be found, nor is there enough coffee to
be consumed that can help you push
through it. This can sometimes lead to an
increase in your level of stress or anxiety.
A simple list will help ease those fears
and knock those high levels down a few
notches. By transferring those thoughts
and tasks onto paper, you can make the
tasks seem less daunting and lighten the
load on your brain, which leads to lower
stress and anxiety levels.

4

3
5
4
Living in style

LEAD
TO HAPPINESS

Ever feel like you can conquer
anything after you cross something off
of your to-do list? Physically crossing off
an item is good for you mentally. That
sense of accomplishment increases your
self-esteem and keeps your production
and motivation levels high. Staying
productive and motivated results in
making the most of your time, so there
is more room in your day for the things
you really enjoy. Doing the things you
love to do makes for a day well spent.
Plus, the more you cross off, the better
it is to see how much work you did, and
having a physical representation of that
work is a good way to reflect and to feel
good about yourself.

PRIORITIZE

We face many tasks throughout our
day, some more urgent than others.
When things are becoming a bit too
hectic, a list allows you to organize
based on what needs to be done first or
what can be put off for later. Start with
listing the task that has top priority. This
will help you focus on what is essential
to your day before getting to the less
important tasks.

LISTS ARE
NOT ALL WORK

Don’t forget about the little things.
With a list full of daunting tasks and
chores things can easily look unpleasant,
and that newfound inspiration can
fly right out the window. Include the
small but enjoyable things, such as
reading a chapter of your favorite book,
calling your mom or best friend or
simply relaxing with a hot shower or
bubble bath. Making time for enjoyable
moments is just as important as making
time for crucial tasks.

Lists are a useful tool for
remembering the joy in life, the things
that make us happy, accomplishments
you are proud of, your good-work
list and your reasons to celebrate.
— Dr. Vonda Wright, creator and director of the Performance
and Research Initiative for Master’s Athletes

17

NOT ALL NEW IS CREATED EQUAL

PICK. PRADO.

COMMUNITY AMENITIES
RESTAURANT ON-SITE
ACROSS THE STREET
FROM CAMPUS
NEXT DOOR TO “THE BLOCK”

ove over Katniss; there’s a
new heroine in town, and her
name is Therese.
A heroic female protagonist aimed
at reconstructing the Greek pantheon system is just one character that
UTSA professor Eva Pohler writes
about in her many novels.
Pohler teaches a course in Young
Adult Literature at UTSA, but it’s her
own works of fiction

living her life
one page at a time.

that keep this San Antonio native
busy.
In her breakout novel “The Gatekeeper’s Son,” a young girl named
Therese uncovers a secret world that
changes her life forever. But let’s not
give too much away.
The story involves Therese overcoming various obstacles to prove her
ability to become a fighter. Mix that
with a little romance and you’ve got
yourself a young adult (YA) novel.
However, this isn’t your cliché girlmeets-boy story — did
we mention that her
love interest is a Greek
god?
Now that we have
your attention, let’s
continue.
What makes the
novel stand out from
its YA counterparts
is its combination
of Greek mythology
interwoven with a
story of courage.
“I wanted to write
a coming-of-age
story, and I also
wanted to write
a story about a
regular teenager,”
Pohler says, “not
a girl who finds
out she’s a demigod or has superpowers or
something like
that, but a regular teenage girl who falls in love

with a Greek god.”
Many popular YA novels feature
a female lead character, such as Katniss from “The Hunger Games” and
Tris from “Divergent.” Pohler felt it
was important for her to represent a
strong female character in her work as
well, since the YA genre focuses primarily on male characters.
The inspiration for Therese is quite
close to Pohler’s heart. “I think Therese
is strongly based on my daughter, who
is an animal lover.”
Preparing to write the novel took
months of intensive research, but according to Pohler, that’s what makes
the process fun. “It’s what I love doing;
I love research!” she exclaims.
“The Gatekeeper’s Saga” is just one
of many works Pohler has published.
Since releasing “The Gatekeeper’s
Son” in 2012 Pohler has published another series called “The Mystery Box.”
Pohler recently completed the first
book of her next series “The Purgatorium,” which is slated to be out this
spring.
Which character is her favorite? “I
love them all so much!” says Pohler.
“I think I’m closest to the characters
in ‘The Gatekeepers Saga’ because
I’ve written about them longer, and
I’ve developed a stronger relationship
with them... that’s probably why I’ve
written six books about them. I like
them all so much. But it would be really hard for me to say that there was
one series that I was particularly close
to.”
Not only does Pohler love writing,
Continued on page 21

a Deole’ time
Words: Gibson Hull
Photo: Rafael Gutierrez

L

ooking for a cheap place close
to campus to grab some pizza and relax? Look no further than Deol Bar.
The small college bar is conveniently
located across Loop 1604 from the
UTSA Main Campus and is tailored to
the college crowd, along with a handful of local patrons.
Deol Bar’s atmosphere is typical for
a college bar: it’s

laid back but can become rambunctious. It’s also a good place to relax
and enjoy a game on any of the small
plasma TVs or the floor-to-ceiling
projector screen. Music is optional,
with a jukebox in the corner ready to
produce tunes to fit any mood. The
bartenders are easy-going but attentive, always keeping the tables clean.
Happy hour is from 3:00-8:30 p.m.
weekdays and includes $3 brews. Even
though the draft selection
is
non-existent,
there is a decent selection of bottled drinks.
A l s o ,
Deol has
a fair selection of
cocktails
to satisfy
multiple
tastes.
T h e
Candy

Cane is highly requested and includes
Rumple Minze, cherry vodka, crème
de menthe, half-and-half and grenadine. The Kiwi Explosion is also a
popular choice, consisting of Lemon
Bacardi, Blue Curacao, sweet & sour
and Sprite.
The appetizer list is short, but the
menu at Deol lists quality treats consisting of mozzarella sticks, jalapeño
poppers and a variety of fried vegetables.
The standouts are the jalapeño
poppers, which explode with savory
cheese combined with the heat of pepper against the satisfying crunch of
the fried shell. A milder but competitive choice to the jalapeño poppers are
the mozzarella sticks. The breaded exterior is a wholesome, garlicky crunch
met with a gooey delight of mozzarella, which strings out forever.
Deol Bar’s number one attraction
is its hand-tossed pizza, which is the
perfect choice for the college student
on a budget. Not only is it fantastic, but slices can be ordered for less
than $2. The whole pizzas are a huge
bargain and come in two sizes: a 12inch with one topping starting at just
$7.59 and a 16-inch with one topping
for $7.99. Additional toppings can be

added for around a dollar each.
Deol also offers salads, burgers,
sandwiches and wings with a variety
of sauces.
One of Deol Bar’s busiest nights is
College Tuesday, where any beer is
only $2 and any liquor, excluding top
shelf, is only $3.
Deol Bar is a decent place for UTSA
students to relax for a bargain. Sophis-

tication is not the bar’s
main draw, but the
atmosphere provides
a laid-back, fun and
cheap experience for
any budget. They are
open every day from
3:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
For more information,
check out Deol Bar on Facebook.

Continued from page 19

she also enjoys reading young adult
literature. Her favorite works include
“The Hunger Games,” “Code Name
Verity,” “The Book Thief ” and the
“Harry Potter” series.
With the culture of self-publishing
changing in the Internet age, Pohler
encourages her students to take advantage of the new opportunities that
social media offers.
“This is a great time to be a writer,

®

probably the best time in history. Not
only because of the convenience of the
technology with the Internet and the
drafting of the story versus writing by
hand or typewriter, but also because
you have the ability to be discovered
on your own through social media
better than you could have in the past.”
Pohler contends that with the climate of the publishing industry
changing, now is the best time to put

out work. Just as her characters are in
charge of their own destinies, Pohler
believes the same applies for her students.
“I would encourage anyone who
wants to be a writer to not give up,”
says Pohler. “They have more power
over their destiny now than they did
even just a few years ago.”

he Sazerac is a classic cocktail
named for the Sazerac de Forge
et Fils cognac, which was the primary ingredient in the original
concoction. It is sometimes referred to
as America’s oldest cocktail, with its origins dating back to around 1850. You
may have heard bartenders nowadays
refer to this drink as “the cocktail old
people drink when they don’t want to
remember the next few nights of their
life.”
For you non-bartenders out there,
allow me to explain the ingredients
and the reasoning behind their use.
Around 1870 the primary ingredient
was changed from cognac to rye whiskey due to an epidemic that devastated
France’s wine grape crops. Rittenhouse
began as a Pennsylvania brand that
made its start after prohibition ended in 1933; however, like most other
American ryes, it is now made in Ken-

{Writers}

tucky. What makes this rye particularly
special is that it is 100 proof, and not to
mention, easy on your wallet.
Turbinado is a type of sugar with a
brown hue (like Sugar in the Raw).
Turbinado is added to cocktails to
make them sweeter and to add to the
overall color profile. If you do not have
that handy, plain white sugar will do
the trick.
Bitters, as you may have guessed, adds
a bitter kick to craft cocktails, offering a
unique flavor characteristic. Originally,
bitters were used as a medicinal tonic
but now have become a mainstay in
cocktail bars around the world.
Lastly, we get to the absinthe, a green,
anise-flavored spirit made from wormwood. This liquor is distinctly bitter,
so for this drink you simply rinse your
glass with it to get a slight taste and aroma into your flavor palette. Enjoy!

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